I've heard three theories here. One, Inna (or Inessa) are a feminine form of Innokentiy, which means "innocent". Two, it's derived from Greek name Hagne, which means "pure". And three, it's a Russian form of Celtic Iness, which means "islander".

It's a Roman name, actually there were three male names they were given to girls for new times including Inna. It means storm, it's not a Russian name at all. This name is traditionally given to Jewish girls in Russia.

A famous bearer of this name would be a little girl named Inna in the Elsie Dinsmore books. She is really a spoiled brat.

-- Anonymous User 12/31/2006

I really LOVE the name Inna. I think it is a nice alternative to Anna. I also like Enna, but on a girl, instead of the masculine roots the look up suggests. I think that instead of using Anna, Parents should use names like Inna, Enna, Enya, Anya, Aithne, Eithne, Enja and Anja.

I know a girl my age named Inna. She was born in Germany and moved to Canada. I'm not sure if this is a German name or not. At first I thought it was pronounced IN-na (like walking IN to a room) or I-na (with the long I sound). But it is pronounced een-na. I find it very pretty!

Martyr Inna, Disciples of the Apostle Andrew, in ScythiaCommemorated on January 20

The Holy Martyrs Inna, Pinna and Rimma were Slavs from northern Scythia (modern Bulgaria), and they were disciples of the holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called. They preached the Gospel of Christ and they baptized many barbarians who converted to the true Faith. They were seized by the local chieftain, but they would not deny Christ, nor would they offer sacrifice to idols.

It was wintertime, and the rivers were so frozen that not only people, but also horses with carts could travel on the ice. The chieftain had the saints tied to logs on the ice, and gradually lowered them into the freezing water. When the ice reached their necks, they surrendered their blessed souls to the Lord.

-- Anonymous User 3/25/2008

Its meaning is "strong water". It is actually a unisex name, but became somewhat popular as a religious girl's name due the misidentification of the sex of the Russian martyr Inna, a male student of the Apostle Andrei.

Russian Orthodox church has 3 martyrs - St.Inna, St.Pinna and St.Rimma (all the three are men) who are commemorated on the 20th of January (the day of their death) and the 20th of June (old style). They were frozen into the ice on the Danube for teaching Christianity there. (source of the story - http://days.pravoslavie.ru/Life/life6605.htm)

My name is Innessa but I've been always called Inna. I was born in ukraine. And when I was about eight I got actual ukrainian name books and it said that my name (Inna) is Greek and that the true meanings are "crybaby","stubborn", and "rock". People always think its russian just because guys in russia used to be named that. And yes, it is always misspronounced for such a short and simple name. But yea, I always get comments about how pretty my name is.